As the year draws to a close, the UK and the rest of the northern hemisphere settles in for winter. The short days often seem to be grey and damp, with those crisp bright blue bursts cut short by the dark evenings which seem to sneak up faster every year. This is when many of us really crave those glorious summer days and the warm sun which loves to stay up past its bedtime. That means winter is a great time to book a trip to find some winter sun and grab a much needed Vitamin D boost! This year, I jetted off to Tenerife with Jet2holidays for a few days of exactly that. It was a such a good pick me up we left thinking we should probably do the same again next year – right?! Read on to discover seven reasons you should book a trip to Tenerife for some winter sun in addition to what you can get up to on your holiday ☀️
1. The Weather
Whilst the reasons on this list are in no particular order, when we’re talking about a winter sun break, it would be difficult not to start with the weather as a reason to visit Tenerife! The island of Tenerife is situated in the Canary Islands, a group of Spanish islands located in the Atlantic Ocean, around 100km off the west coast of Morocco. Tenerife is a popular place with European visitors and a large pull is its wonderful subtropical climate. Throughout the year, Tenerife boasts sunny days and warm temperatures which in the winter months are generally around 18-21°C dependent on exactly when you visit. When the mercury at home is hovering in the single digits and even pushing into negative numbers, Tenerife’s balmy weather is perfect for winter sun. It might not be as warm as it gets in the summer, but during our winter sun getaway, the temperature was still ideal for a spot of lazing in the sun with a good book. Discover last minute holidays to Tenerife and beyond with Jet2holidays!
2. The Sunsets
My second reason on this list is two-fold. Firstly, the sunsets in Tenerife are pretty epic. The island has incredibly varied landscapes from the sweeping beaches of the coast to the volcanic landscape of Teide National Park so there are a whole host of options for watching the sky turn to a myriad of colours as the sun disappears beyond the horizon.. Every night during our stay there was an incredible sunset to see whether we watched it from our hotel balcony at Barcelo Tenerife (more in 4. The Resorts) or up high on top of a cloud inversion at Mt. Teide.
Secondly, the sun sets between 6 and 6:30pm in Tenerife during the winter. Given, back in the UK and northern Europe, the sun is generally going to bed before 4pm (even 3pm or 2pm if you’re reading this from further towards the North Pole), an additional 2-3 hours of daylight in the evening is perfect for a winter sun break. The extra few hours before the darkness creeps in give you plenty of possibilities with how to fill them. Plus, if you’re out for a day trip, you’ve got more time to really explore the island.
Top Tip – Data Roaming
If you’re visiting Tenerife from overseas then getting online with an eSIM from Holafly is such a game changer. No swapping SIMs. No complicated data roaming. Lots of choice. If your phone is compatible, just download the eSIM and get going!
Holafly
3. The Water
Up next is the water! Tenerife is a relatively small island so no matter where you’re staying, you’re never far from the coast and from the chance to jump in the ocean. The average temperature of the water in winter is 18-21°C, depending on which part of the island you’re located. It might be a little on the cooler side if you’re used to warmer climes but for the majority of visitors to Tenerife, this is pretty great when you’re coming in the depths of winter and did’t stop me from jumping in!
There are plenty of different ways to enjoy the water in Tenerife depending on what you’re after. Tenerife has numerous beaches around the island, with long golden sandy stretches along the popular areas of Los Cristianos and Las Americas so head to one with designated swimming areas to enjoy a paddle or a more invigorating swim to cool off. Whilst I didn’t visit on this trip, Siam Park is a favourite for the whole family as the biggest water park in Europe. If you want to see more of the coast then there are plenty of boat trips to jump onboard where you can cruise along the coastline and admire the views, soak up the sun with a sea breeze and jump into that gorgeous, turquoise blue water. For the more adventurous water lovers, book a snorkel tour, kayaking trip or try an intro scuba dive.
4. The Resorts
For some, the best part of enjoying a break in the winter sun is simply enjoying soaking up the rays under a shady umbrella with a good book in hand. Tenerife has a vast number of resorts to choose from which offer everything you need for a relaxing holiday right onsite. We stayed at Barcelo Tenerife which had so much inside the complex that you could easily spend your winter sun break in the resort itself without ever leaving!
Barcelo Tenerife is located on the south coast of the island which is where the weather is best at this time of year. Our room was nice and spacious with very comfy beds, a spa bath to relax in and a balcony overlooking the pools which was perfect to watch the sun go down in the evening. The resort has eight different outdoor pools to choose from with lots of sun lounger space around each one and mid December, there were plenty to choose from. There are so many other facilities including a gym, wellness area, kayaking lake, tennis court and basketball court. The resort also has musical entertainment, yoga classes and cultural lessons to get stuck into.
We were booked onto the dinner, bed and breakfast option (there is all inclusive which you can choose) where the buffet offerings were plentiful. Admittedly, I left every mealtime feeling rather full because there were so many delicious choices to pile onto your plate. From pastries, local cheese, all the cooked options you could think of at breakfast to salads, freshly grilled fish, fragrant curries and every dessert you can think of at dinner, everything is a feast for the eyes as well as the tummy!
With Jet2 Holidays you can find plenty of options for hotels in Tenerife and check what meals and transfers are included to enjoy a seamless holiday
5. The Adventure
For others, a holiday is all about the adventure and Tenerife is absolutely perfect if you’re after an active break. Tenerife has a wonderfully diverse landscape to enjoy which means lots of different activities to try. I’ve already shared some ideas for adventurous activities in the water so here I’m going to share some land based adventures!
Winter is a good time for hiking as the weather isn’t as hot as it is in the summer, making it more pleasant and there are a wealth of walking trails to choose from. For something a little quicker, Tenerife is popular for cycling holidays and again the mild winter weather is a great time to get the wheels on the road. Tenerife has lots of quad biking excursions if you’re in for thrills, ranging from more adrenaline inducing off road options to more sedate tours on the road.
We booked a sunset quad bike tour to Mount Teide National Park which was amazing. Mount Teide is Spain’s highest mountain and the third highest volcano in the world. It is arguable whether Teide is dormant or active because, although it last erupted in 1909 it has not done so since. What is without question, however, is the otherworldly landscape you’ll find in the park. Clouds gather around the peak and frequently, you’ll see amazing cloud inversions as you come out on top of the clouds. If quad biking is not for you then there are other ways to discover Mount Teide National Park. With Jet2 Holidays a bus excursion may be possible to add onto your trip or if you’ve hired a car then you can make your own itinerary.
6. The Food
Another great reason to enjoy Tenerife as a winter sun destination is the food. Since Tenerife is a Spanish island, you can enjoy some of the classic Spanish food here like croquettes, patatas bravas and tortilla but there are many Canarian dishes and specialities to try as well. The dish we saw everywhere is Papas arrugadas with mojo rojo – wrinkled potatoes with a a chilli and garlic sauce. You can’t leave Tenerife without tasting Canarian goat cheese, Majorero is particularly well known. Of course, since it is an island, fish is on the menu with one delicacy being Sancocho Canario, salted fish and you’ll often find parrot fish on the menu.
At Barcelo Tenerife, the buffet dinner that was included in our accommodation was an excellent way to taste test lots of these! The hotel also had some classes on Canarian food and drink including Canarian Dessert Tasting – a great way to learn about (and of course sample) the local cuisine.
7. The Time Zone
My final reason to visit Tenerife for some winter sun is because of its time zone and with it, the flight time. During winter, even the places that are unbearably hot in the summer can see temperatures drop to depths that require long sleeves and trousers so generally, to get a blast of winter sun, the majority of places will be in the southern hemisphere where Summer is in full flow. For many, this requires more holiday than you might have to take, very long flight times and the struggles of jetlag. But if Tenerife is your winter sun destination then this doesn’t apply!
Tenerife is on the same timezone as the UK (no pesky jetlag) and the flight time is around 4-5 hours (you can easily make it for a long weekend if you’re short on annual leave) with plenty of direct flights with Jet2 from around the UK. Find your perfect flight to Tenerife with Jet2.
We flew from Jet2’s flight hub at Stansted and the time was roughly 4.5hrs. The perfect length for watching a film and getting started on the novel I planned to read around the pool before touching down in sunny Tenerife. Discover Jet2’s list of flights from London Stansted to find your next break ✈️
For more Spanish holiday inspiration take a look at my other blog posts!
Cat x